Tufting machine



April 30, 1968 w. H. GRAY 3,380,414

TUFTING' MACHINE Filed DeC. 29, 1965 FIGBB.

FIGJ.

INVENTOR 3 WILLIAM H.GRAY

ATTORNEY United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improvement in tufting machines which prevents the pulling out of newly formed tufts of yarn by stray filaments on the tufting needle. A pair of rollers is located immediately forward of the tufting needle to receive the tufted material (e.g. tufted carpet) between and in pressural contact with the rollers. This serves to hold the newly formed tufts in place and to resist any forces normally encountered during the tufting operation which tend to pull out the tufts. The roller surfaces which contact the tufted material may be smooth, serrated, or coated with a material similar to the tufted yarn (e.g. nylon).

This invention relates to a tufting machine. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement in a tufting machine, which improvement eliminates back pulls or pull-out which are common occurrences in tufting fabrics, such as carpet backing.

In the manufacture of say nylon carpets from bulked rnu-lti-filament yarn, it is the practice to pass the yarn through the eye of a metal tufting needle which acts much like the needle of an automatic sewing machine. The yarn is passed through at great speeds so that the maximum amount of carpet manufacture can be provided in a given time and hence the tufting needle works at a substantial speed. Since the yarn is composed of many individual filaments say about 200 there is a tendency for some of the filaments to stray from the yarn and separate out and loop around the tufting needle, and after several subsequent stitches, the entwined filaments pull out the tufted stitch. This stitch pulls out and causes one or more of the following undesirable events:" a defect in the carpet, tufting machine shutdown, and/ or added cost of repairing the car-pet defects. Hence, it is highly desirable to utilize for these tufting operations, particularly, for tufting looped pile carpets, a tufting machine which provides a means whereby these pull-outs are substantially decreased in frequency of occurrence or eliminated.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a tufting machine having means whereby pull-outs or back pulls are eliminated or at least substantially decreased in frequency of occurrence.

It is another object of this invention, therefore, to provide such a tufting machine wherein the improvement has a minimum of moving parts and can be added to present tufting machines at a low cost.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following complete description of my invention, accompanying drawings and appended claim.

This invention contemplates an improvement in a tufting machine for loop pile which improvement comprises at least one roller or wheel disposed immediately forward of the needles of the tufting machine applying sutficient pressure against the back of a tuft to counter any forces tending to pull out tufts in the material being tufted e.g. primary carpet backing.

In a particularly desirable embodiment, a pair of rollers one positioned so that the material to be tufted passes there-beneath and in contact therewith, the other roller being also in contacting relationship with the newly tufted "ice material via the newly formed tufts on the bottom side and applying pressure against the material utilized. Preferably, the rollers are in the same vertical plane and positioned as close as possible to the row of tufting needles, but always forward thereof. For the sake of understand ing more readily the invention, it should be remembered that in tufting carpets the pile is formed beneath the material so that a roller positioned beneath the material is in contact with the pile of the carpet. The top roller (46 in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings) is in contact with the portion of the underside to which is applied latex to fix the tufts in place.

It is preferred that the rollers be spring loaded as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 (more fully explained below) with respect to the top roller to maintain at all times a pressure against the newly tufted material insuring that the tuft does not pull out. However, stationary rollers can also be used very satisfactorily.

In the accompany drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a carpet tufting machine utilizing a pair of rolls to eliminate back pulls.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view showing the rolls pressing against the carpet backing and holding the newly tufted yarn in place.

FIGURE 3A is a roller of my invention.

FIGURE 3B is another roller of my invention.

FIGURE 3C is another roller of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, main drive shaft 2 revolves due to a motor (not shown) thereby revolving needle stroke eccentric 4 to which is attached arm 6. To arm 6, there is pivotally connected extension arm 8 at rod 10 having flange 12 Overlapping arm 6. To extension arm 8 there is afiixed needle 14 via needle bar 16. Through needle 14 passes yarn 18 shown by dotted lines in FIG- URE l. The needle passes through needle plate 20. The yarn 18 originates on a yarn package (not shown) and passes through guide 22, thence through cooperating feed rolls 24 and 26, thence through guides 28, and 32, thence through compensating bar 34 and through a second compensating bar 36 to needle eyelet 38. Carpet backing 39 passes over cooperating feed rolls 40 and 42 and over needle plate 20. Yarn 18 passes through needle eyelet 38 and is carried through carpet backing 39 with needle 14 I forming a loop beneath the carpet backing 39. Looper 44 maintained on a looper shaft (not shown) engages the carpet loop so formed and the drive shaft 2 revolves the needle stroke eccentric 4 so as to raise the needle out of the backing and thence out through the needle plate 20. The looper shaft which rotates back and forth for about revolution rocks back thereby disengaging the loop to begin a new cycle. The newly tufted carpet containing loops proceeds through a pair of rollers 46 and 48, These rollers apply pressure against the carpet suflicient to resist carpet back pulls. As shown in FIG. 2, the rollers can be spring loaded by means of arm .50 which is pivotally connected to support 52 maintained on a stationary platform 54. A coil tension spring 56 is disposed between platform 54 and arm 52 to apply a force on arm 50, there by urging roller 46 against and applying pressure to the carpet. As shown in FIG. 2, roller 46 may be spring loaded while roller 48 is stationarily (albeit rotatively) mounted. In such a case, the pressure exerted on the carpet by rollers 46 and 48 is derived solely from the action of spring 56 on arm 50. Alternatively, roller 48 can be spring loaded in the same manner as roller 46. The carpet backing proceeds through take-up rolls 58 and 60 to a suitable wind-up etc.

It should also be noted that the rollers can have a smooth surface as in FIGURES 1 and 2 and 3A, can be coated with a compatible material, e.g. nylon, as in FIG- URE 3B or can have a serrated surface as in FIGURE 3C.

The diameter of the rollers can vary from about inch to about 10 inches and can be located in an adjustable position extending across the tufting machine.

The rollers can be rotated by friction due to the material being tufted e.g. carpet backing passing therethrough, or can be motor driven at a rate compatible with the moving material.

It is readily seen from the above that I have provided a significant improvement in tufting machines which decreases the incidence of back pulls, particularly when tufting multi-filament carpet yarn. My improvement can be applied to already existing tufting machines with a minimum of expense.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are for purposes of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

HERBERT F. ROSS,

What is claimed is:

1. In a tufting machine having a tufting needle, the improvement comprising a pair of vertically aligned idling rollers disposed immediately behind the needle and positioned to receive tufted material therebetween, resilient means for urging said rollers in opposed relationship and in continual substantial resilient pressural contact with respective sides of said tufted material, said pressural contact being sufficient to resist carpet pulls and counter any forces which tend to pull out tufts of the tufted material, said rollers being coated with nylon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,704,988 3/ 1955 Rosenbloom 112-214 X 2,907,291 10/1959 Schrader 112-214 X 3,095,840 7/1963 Ballard 11279 X 3,135,935 6/1964 'Engelbrecht l12262 X Primary Examiner. 

